Clan Orgins
Ruststar's mate, Chartreusefur, had blessed him, the leader of Shadowclan, with two mewling kits. A dark crimson tom with a cream-furred underbelly, and a dark violit she-kit, who had black pitless eyes. Chartreusefur had decided to name them Redkit and Iriskit. Ruststar was overjoyed! Ruststar watched them grow throughout the years with pleasure. But the time of only Windclan, Riverclan, Thunderclan, and his beloved Shadowclan was coming to an end. So his pleasure didn't last. It all started with his own warrior, Willowpelt. She was even his own kin, his sister's kit! She had, over the years of his leadership, questioned most of his decisions. She was in most ways wise, and had good ideas, but still, Ruststar thought his word should have been more respected. Well, finally, Willowpelt declared independence from him. She said he was foolish in everything he did and that she would no longer take his rulership. She said she would start her own clan, WIllowclan. And too make matters worse, Starclan must have agreed, because soon, she became Willowstar, and gained her nine lives. Luckily, only about a fourth of Ruststar's beloved Shadowclan became a loyal Willowclan. Word got out! Soon, Firefur from Thunderclan had started Fireclan. A low-level warrior from Windclan, called Badgersnout, started Badgerclan. Over a hundred clans formed in a short amount of time, and they began to populate fast, taking on all the strays and kittypets they could get. The land became very crowded, and territory became scarce. Meanwhile, Redkit and Iriskit were growing up. They were paws now, fighting as hard in there training. Irispaw was probably the cleverest apprentice, and Ruststar was proud of that. But some other cats were better in certain areas. No cat was faster than Catpaw. No cat was as fierce as Hawkpaw. The most skilled in hunting was Lizardpaw, and without a doubt, Bluepaw was the best fighter. But more than any paw, Redpaw had ambition. And it fired him up like a tiger getting ready to pounce. He could be the best at anything if he believed he could. But Irispaw had competitiveness, Ruststar told himself, which was almost as good as Redpaw's ambition. Soon they all became warriors. This was around the time when the cats of all clans began to learn to speak other languages. They could now communicate with foxes. wolves, dogs, big cats, bobcats, lynxes, and cougars. This was a great improvement. They even learned that some wolves, foxes, and cougars had clans too. A scout from Ruststar's ally, Snowclan from the mountain tops, told him that cats from the mountains could now speak with arctic wolves and arctic foxes. So Irisshadow and Redshadow (warriors now) grew up in a time of new clans and new allies. Ruststar's deputy, Moonwake, died. So he chose Redshadow as his new deputy, abiding the warrior code, before moonrise. To say this made Irisshadow jealous was an understatement. She showed no respect for her brother, despite him being deputy, and when Redshadow told Irisshadow that when he was made leader, he would make her deputy, she clawed his nose. "I am never secondary power," she sniffed, "I would rather have no power at all." Irisshadow was plotting something. She had to be! She would always be prowling around and talking with a cunning look on her face, mainly with her greatest supporters, Bluefur, and Catstep. Lizardleg would bob his head in agreement to anything she said too, everyone in the clan knew by now that he was quite taken by her violet fur and black eyes. Finally, Irisshadow made herself clear. "I am going to do as so many others have done in this time of great change! I am going to start my own clan!" She said this loudly, and Ruststar wept. His own daughter was leaving his clan to start her own. But her speech wasn't over, "I will not be staying here. It is much to crowded in this land by the lake. I will journey farther than the cats of the sun trail or the cats who went past the mountains to the sundrown place. I will go farther than our ancestors. I will only take the most willing with me, the most cunning and wise." That is when she said her most famous quote. "When we find this place, we will know it is ours. We will be Irisclan, and the place we will reach at the end of this journey is like one no cat has seen. To get there we must 'Dream outside this mundane world.' Who is with me? IrisClan!" Before she set off, she made one last journey to the moonpool, where she gained her nine lives and star name. Many went with her. She made this pilgrimige woth over fifty other clans, not just her own. Of course, her friends Bluefure(who told Irisstar to change her name to Blueclaw) and Catstep too, who became Irisstar's deputy. They did indeed reach a new land, where they then found many others there too. But this land was vast and plentiful, with enough for all. It was called Jamaa. Irisstar still rules over a pineforest and swamp in Jamaa today. You can join her clan. You just have to remember to keep an open mind, be perceptive, and "Dream outside this mundane world."